New Twaron PVB Prepreg Makes Production of Hard Ballistic Panels and Helmets Easier
Arnhem, the Netherlands, 31 October 2013 - Teijin Aramid today announced the introduction of Twaron PVB prepreg, consisting of Twaron fabric and a new, specially designed PVB thermoplastic. The new prepreg offers advantages like longer shelf life and a stable ballistic performance over a broad temperature range. The introduction of this new prepreg will take place at the Defense & Security Show, 4-7 November in Thailand.
The new Twaron PVB prepreg features excellent anti-ballistic performance. Subjected to heat and pressure, it can be shaped into all manner of protective equipment: helmets, insert panels for ballistic vests or shaped panels for vehicle protection. Producers of protective equipment no longer need to install and run expensive refrigerated storage facilities, since the new Twaron PVB prepreg can be stored under normal conditions for an extended period of time. Systems that are currently used in the industry - based on PVB-modified phenolic resins - have a very limited shelf life, since they react to high temperatures and therefore become unusable.
“In a time where we face potential conflicts in regions around the world, it is important that key protective equipment can be produced where and when it is required. This means the industry needs cost-effective, high performance materials that can be quickly shipped, safely stored and deployed under a range of conditions ” says Karl Henke, Business Manager of Ballistics at Teijin Aramid.
Excellent ballistic performance
Performance tests have shown that, both in helmet shells and hard ballistic configurations, the new prepregs ballistic performance against bullets and fragments exceeds that of conventional PVB phenolic systems. In accordance with STANAG 2920, Twaron PVB prepreg has also been tested on temperature tolerance. These tests show very little differences in the ballistic performance between the plates stored at -20°C, +70°C and those stored at room temperature.
Twaron PVB film has been designed for usage with the same Twaron fabrics that manufacture protective equipment already used today – including Twaron CT736, Twaron T750, Twaron T741, and Twaron T734. During the production process the PVB film is layered and bonded with these Twaron fabrics to form a though, durable material.
Experience this new product at Teijin Aramid stand H12-H14 at the Defense and Security show, held 4th – 7th November in Bangkok, Thailand.
About Teijin Aramid
Teijin Aramid is a subsidiary of the Teijin Group and world leader in aramids. Its aramid products Twaron®, Sulfron®, Teijinconex® or Technora® are renowned for their strength, sustainability, safety, heat resistance and low weight and are used in different applications and markets including automotive, ballistic protection, marine, civil engineering, protective clothing, ropes, fiber optic cables and oil & gas. Another high performance material in our portfolio is Endumax®, an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE). Endumax® is a lightweight, highly effective and flexible PE-tape, and the material of choice for the next generation ropes, cables and slings, as well as modern protection equipment that needs to meet the highest ballistic performance demands. These high performance materials are produced in the Netherlands and Japan. For more information: www.teijinaramid.com and www.teijinendumax.com.
Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the areas of sustainable transportation, information and electronics, safety and protection, environment and energy, and healthcare. Its main fields of operation are high-performance fibers such as aramid, carbon fibers & composites, healthcare, films, resin & plastic processing, polyester fibers, products converting and IT. The group has some 150 companies and around 17,000 employees spread out over 20 countries worldwide. It posted consolidated sales of JPY745.7 billion (USD 7.4 billion) and total assets of JPY 762.4 billion (USD7.6 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. Please visit www.teijin.com.
